Something like this was bound to happen when a government that strictly controls its citizens’ access to information meets a smartphone vendor that strictly controls its users’ access to apps. And if Apple wants to continue to sell its devices to China’s citizens, it’s going to have to play by China’s rules.

What’s more, this probably won’t be the last time Apple finds itself in such a situation.

Why “VPN” matters—especially in China

The apps in question provide virtual-private-network services, which offer encrypted connections from a device to the rest of the internet, ensuring that your internet provider and any other third parties can’t see what websites you’ve visited.

VPNs remain something of a niche app in the U.S. A survey conducted last June found that only 13% of Americans understood a VPN’s ability to shield your privacy on open, public Wi-Fi networks.

Such apps can be tricky to set up, and require complete trust in the company running the service, as cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs notes in this excellent essay: The VPN company will know every site you visit.

Apple has removed virtual private network apps from its App Store at the request of the Chinese government. (image: AP Photo)

Precedents in the U.S.

When the Chinese government demanded that Apple remove VPN apps that didn’t have newly mandatory government licenses from China’s version of the App Store, Beijing knew Apple could fulfill that directive and do so quickly.

“Apple removed us from the Chinese App Store without any warning,” explained Sunday Yokubaitis, president of the Austin-based VPN serviceGolden Frog. He forwarded a vague notice from Apple saying its VyprVPN app “included content that is illegal in China.”

But Apple has a history of exercising its control over the App Store — the only way everyday users can install programs on an iOS device, aside fromsmall-scale app beta tests — suddenly and sometimes capriciously.

Apple PR didn’t respond to a request for comment Monday morning, but ina statement sent to other news outlets it acknowledged that “We have been required to remove some VPN apps in China that do not meet the new regulations.”

A plan B in the PRC, but what about the next time?

Privacy-minded Chinese iOS users aren’t completely out of luck, however. Golden Frog’s Yokubaitis said that Chinese users who set a billing address outside the country can still download its apps, while others can followmanual-setup instructions to configure iOS’s built-in VPN support to use its service.

The same risk does not apply to Android users because Google doesn’t offer its Play Store at all in China. Consumers there can install apps off other stores — or they can disable a security setting and download apps directly from specific websites.